Anne Chevallier, the new Head of the School’s Department of Civil Engineering and Construction

The École nationale des ponts et chaussées has announced the appointment of Anne Chevallier as head of its Civil Engineering and Construction (GCC) department, succeeding Bernard Vaudeville, who is also an associate director at the engineering firm T/E/S/S and had chaired the department since 1999.

An engineer and architect, and a former student of the department, Anne Chevallier will guide the development of the curriculum in response to the environmental, technological and social challenges facing the construction sector. Her appointment comes at a time when the construction industry is set to undergo profound change. Her experience at the interface between engineering and architecture, and her professional commitment to the regeneration of buildings and the reduction of the construction sector’s carbon footprint, will help to realise this ambition. She will also pay particular attention to the role of women in this sector.

A career at the crossroads of engineering, architecture and construction

Anne Chevallier enrolled at École Polytechnique in 2007 and then attended ENPC from 2010 to 2012 with the aim of becoming an engineer-architect. There, she undertook the Civil Engineering and Construction programme alongside the course at the École d’Architecture de la Ville et des Territoires Paris-Est, before obtaining her degree in architecture from the École nationale supérieure d’architecture de Grenoble in 2014.

She began her career as a structural engineer at VINCI Construction France from 2015 to 2018, before becoming a partner at the engineering consultancy and architectural practice KAIRN in 2018. Her practice, which focuses primarily on regeneration, enables her to contribute to the preservation of heritage and the reduction of the construction sector’s carbon footprint. She works with a wide variety of materials: timber, steel, concrete and even load-bearing solid stone. The renewed popularity of this natural material in new-build projects calls for fascinating deliberation to reconcile the physical properties of the material with regulatory requirements.

This career path, which combines training as an engineer and architect with practical experience in the field, now fuels her desire to pass on her passion for the profession to the next generation.

“It was with great enthusiasm that I took up the post of Head of the Department of Civil Engineering and Construction at the École nationale des ponts et chaussées in early September. By sharing my experience, I hope to foster students’ interest in careers in the construction sector and help to maintain the quality and breadth of the programme, whilst supporting its development in the face of environmental, technological and social challenges. I shall also be keen to promote the role of women in a sector that remains largely male-dominated,” says Anne Chevallier, Head of the Department of Civil Engineering and Construction at the École nationale des ponts et chaussées.

Civil Engineering and Construction: a department at the heart of the School’s identity

The department is one of the School’s long-standing core areas of expertise. It trains design and construction engineers capable of tackling the complexity of projects with a holistic approach, a high level of scientific rigour and strong technical expertise, whilst making the most of the latest technological and digital innovations.

Its curriculum covers, in particular, the fields of structural engineering, geotechnical engineering, building construction, civil engineering structures, public works, marine works and energy-related structures. Graduates are thus able to pursue careers across a wide variety of sectors and professions, ranging from project ownership and project management to engineering consultancies, construction firms and research and development.

The department places great emphasis on practical project work, links with the professional world, and research and innovation. It also develops a holistic approach to design and project management, particularly through its links with architecture. The programme includes, in particular, two ‘structures-architecture’ specialisations, situated at the interface between architecture and engineering, in partnership with ENSA Paris-Est and the École d’architecture Paris-Malaquais. These lead to a dual degree in engineering and architecture. The civil engineering and construction sector is currently undergoing profound changes. The renovation and refurbishment of existing buildings, infrastructure maintenance, new forms of mobility, energy production and storage, and advances in building materials and techniques are all challenges that engineers must now address.

Against a backdrop characterised by the climate emergency, the decline in biodiversity and the increasing urbanisation of land, the department also recognises the need to reduce the environmental impacts of construction, particularly in terms of energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and the circularity of materials.

“Anne Chevallier’s appointment marks a new chapter for the Department of Civil Engineering and Construction. Her career as an engineer and architect, her practical experience and her knowledge of the School are all assets that will help guide the development of this course in the face of the
major changes currently taking place in the construction sector. I am also delighted that a woman is now taking over as head of this department and that, through her own career, she can help inspire more female students to pursue careers in these fields. I would also like to extend my warmest thanks to Bernard Vaudeville for his many contributions and the profound transformation of the department that he has spearheaded over many years,” said Anthony Briant, Director of the École nationale des ponts et chaussées.